Wire-stretcher.



Patented Oct. 3, I899.

B. J. FLICK &. E. FRANKLIN;

WIRE STRETCHER. (Applieatioxg med ma a1, 1999.

(No Modal.)

NITED STAT S I -ATRN Fries.

ROBERT J. FLIOK, or SALEM, 01 110, AND EDWARD FRANKLIN, or LINCOLN, NEBRAsKA.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,236, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed May 31, 1899. Serial No. 718,832. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT J. FLICK, residing at Salem, in the county of Golumbiana and State of Ohio, and EDWARD FRANKLIN,

residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, citizens of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex- 10 act description. 5

The object of this invention is to provide a practical device for use in erecting wire fences to enable the builder to stretch the longitudinal wires from post to post and hold them while being stapled.

In carrying out our invention we use a lever-like claw, to which is adj ustably pivoted a jaw, the claw being adapted to fulcrum against a post while the jaw maybe engaged with the wire, and the claw then being used as a lever the wire may be drawn taut in the grasp of the jaw and laid up against the post and then secured to the post, as by a staple. The claw is provided with a notch and the jaw is made with a cutting edge, so that the two members may be used as a wire-cutter. The claw also is adapted for use as a stapleextractor.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating 0 our invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the parts arranged as a wire-cutter. Fig. 3 is a perspective view 3 5 of the jaw detached, and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the jaw.

A bar of metal a of any desired length and provided with any suitable handle, such as a wooden handle 1), has one end constructed with a point or points, so as readily to engage a wooden or other post, and, as shown in the drawings, this end 0 may be forked to form a claw, and this claw lies substantially in the longitudinal plane of the bar and its lower edge is rounded off or curved, as at c, for convenience in inserting the claw beneath a staple or other fastening device for extracting such fastening device; but this end of the bar may be simply pointed. The lower this jaw is the /-shaped abutment e, which limits the movement of the jaw upon the bar in both directions.

fis a notch in the upper edge of the bar, which is adapted to receive a wire 9, and the edges h of the forked end 6 of the jaw cooperate with the edges of the notch f to form a wire-cutter.

The operation is as follows: In stretching fence-wires. in erecting fences the jaw eis adjusted upon the bar a in one or the other of the notches d to correspond with the thickness or diameter of the post. The pointed end of the bar is then engaged with the post and the jaw is engaged with the wire, and

then by moving the bar as a lever the required strain is put upon the wire until it is drawn taut and is so held until the wire is secured to the post by a staple or other appropriate fastening, and then the device is released from the post and the wire. When it is desired to cut the wire, the said wire is laid in the notch f, as in Fig. 2, and the jaw e is forced down over the wire, as in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the wire severed.

It will be observed that the jaw e is rigid throughout and is pivoted or fulcrumed directly upon the bar instead of being connected therewith byalink, as heretofore; and it will also be observed that the 'said rigid jaw instead of being pivoted at one determined point upon the baris adjustable thereupon in order to admit of the location of said jaw upon said bar to adapt the tool to posts of I different diameter; and it will be further 0b- 5 served that the said jaw is provided with stops (2 which ultimately throw the strain off the jaw upon the bar; and it will be further observed that inasmuch as the jaw straddles the bar the strain is distributed equally upon both sides of the bar instead of upon one side, as heretofore, and thus the jaw is relieved of undue lateral strain.

By our construction we produce a very simple, economical, and durable wire-stretcher which in actual use has proven to he very eflicient.

Having thus described the principle of our invention and the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle, we wish to state that we do not limit our invention to the single illustration thereof shown in the drawings, but esteem as within our invention such modifications and alterations as may be necessary to adapt the same to special uses and purposes and intend to so claim our invention in the claims herein.

hat we claim is 1. A wire-stretcher, comprising the rigid bar a pointed at one end 0 in the plane of its length to engage a post, having a handle Z) at its other end, and provided with a series of notches (Z in its lower edge, and the adjustable jaw e having the forked end 6 to embrace two sides and one edge of the bar and having a transverse fulcral pin 6- in its bottom to engage one or another of the notches in the other edge of the bar and having its free end curved and forked at e and thereby adapted to engage the wire to be stretched, substantially as described.

2. A wire-stretcher, comprising the rigid bar a, having the handle I) at one end and pointed at its other end 0 in the plane of its length to engage a post, and provided with the series of notches d in its lower edge, and the adjustable jaw a, forked at e to embrace two sides and one edge of the bar, having the transverse fulcral pin e in the bottom of said forked portion to engage one or another of the notches in the other edge of the bar and having its free end curved reversely and forked at e and thereby adapted to engage the wire to be stretched, and also having the V-shaped abutment e for engaging the upper surface of the bar to limit its movement thereon, substantiallyas described.

3. A wire-stretcher, comprising a pointed and notched bar, a wire-engaging jaw, having one end forked and straddling said jaw, the said bar having a notch in its upper edge to receive a wire and the edges of the forked end of the jaw cooperating with the notch in said bar to constitute a wire-cutter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ROBT. J. FLIOK. EDYVARD FRANKLIN.

Witnesses as to Robert J. Flick:

CHAS. E. MAGOON, JOHN J. IERsHiNe.

Vitnesses as to Edward Franklinz.

J mm B. STRODE, JAMES STEVENSON. 

